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Open Space Threatened at
Bayfront Park
 
by Lennie Roberts

Bayfront Park, in Menlo Park, located at the end of Marsh Road, is Menlo Park's largest park and its only public open space. Situated at the edge of the Bay, and surrounded on three sides by the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the park's open space, hills, trails, and scenic views are an important regional asset that are easily accessible to the diverse populations of the peninsula. The park is enjoyed by families and individuals for walking, running, bicycling, on-leash dog walking, kite flying, bird watching, photography, orienteering, and picnicking. The "Great Spirit Path Sculpture" created by artist Susan Dunlap invites contemplation and reverence for the natural world. Annual celebrations of the Winter Solstice and Earth Day have become a tradition. The park's hilly terrain is not a natural feature but was a transformative makeover of "Mt. Trashmore," after the landfill was closed and capped off in the mid-1980s.

The graceful profile of a Great Egret captures the delight of even the youngest visitors to Bayfront Park — photos by Peter LaTourrette

Bayfront Park — a Trash to Treasure Story
As recently as 50 years ago, there would have been no unique views at this site. Today, its man-made topography affords sweeping views from the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge to the north, across the expanse of Greco Island, salt ponds and Bay, then down to the big salt pile south of the Dumbarton Bridge. On clear days you can see as far away as Oakland, the East Bay hills, and all the way to Mount Hamilton. Turning west, you can gaze over the rooftops of Menlo Park and the surrounding cities to the Santa Cruz Mountains and the forested Skyline ridges.

The park's grass-covered slopes, meadows, trees, and tidal pond/wetlands have attracted numerous wildlife species. Over 60 species of birds nest in the park, in addition to many others that forage or stop off to rest on their annual migrations. This ecological diversity created through restoration is an asset that has been somewhat of a surprise to many people. A garbage dump transformed into habitat is a kind of eco-Cinderella story.

The original Bayfront Park Master Plan
At the time the park was created, the City of Menlo Park engaged in an extensive public planning process, involving many citizens, organizations, and public agencies. The adopted Master Plan established the guiding principle for the park:

"A hilly, bayview, regional park with natural groundcover, wildlife enhancement and passive use, providing public access to the Bay and an opportunity for people to enjoy peace and quiet."

In order to gain approval for filling wetlands for the garbage dump, the City agreed to keep the park as open space with passive recreational uses. Intensive uses such as golf courses were specifically rejected due to the topography of the site, the need to control the leachate (liquid waste produced by landfills) and concerns of regulatory agencies about impacts to the adjacent National Wildlife Refuge.

What's happening today?
The park's open space and passive uses are now threatened by a proposed executive golf course, driving range, clubhouse, and lighted ball fields, the latter proposed to be built directly on top of the tidal pond and wetlands that were required mitigation for filling the rest of the site.

In November, 2005 the Menlo Park City Council, by a 3–2 vote, directed the City staff to negotiate an option and a 55 year lease agreement with Highlands Golf, LLC, of Southern California to develop a golf course and associated facilities. Citing concerns that the fund established at the time the landfill was closed for park patrolling and maintenance would be depleted in eight or nine years, the Council majority dismissed impassioned pleas by many citizens and environmental organizations, including CGF, to keep Bayfront as open space that is accessible to all.

The Council majority's reasoning is especially puzzling since the other City parks are not expected to pay for themselves. Indeed, whether they are national, state, county or city parks, very few parks and open space preserves generate enough revenue to pay for their upkeep, and these that do are usually due to some unusual attraction, such as Alcatraz or the Statue of Liberty.

What impacts would intensive recreational uses have?
The preliminary plans by Highlands show that over half of the 160 acres would become dedicated to golf use. The open access to the park would be severely curtailed, and trails would be limited to the perimeter road with some few exceptions. The developer has stated that trails could still traverse behind some golf tee areas, but safety concerns would seriously limit this possibility.

Artificial night lighting of the driving range and ball fields can adversely affect the seasonal life cycle of many species. Tall poles and netting to contain flying golf balls would create additional hazards for flocks of birds that swoop low to rest and feed. Irrigated greens and fairways are highly attractive to wildlife. These species include Canada geese, who create their own solid waste problem in the form of a pound-a-day of goose poop. Tunneling gophers and ground squirrels create unwelcome hazards. Control of unwanted wildlife is problematic for golf courses and complicated here due to collateral impacts on the various species in the adjacent wildlife refuge.

Conversion of the tidal pond and wetlands to playing fields is unlikely to be approved by federal and state wildlife agencies. The City is looking for alternatives.

What's next?
The agreement between Menlo Park and Highlands Golf will come back to the City Council for approval sometime this spring. Supporters of keeping the park in its natural state have formed a group, Friends of Bayfront Park. Supporters have a vision that maintains the City's commitment to the diverse uses enjoyed by all today, and integrates its trails and vistas with the future restoration planning for the adjacent salt ponds.

Published April 2006 in Green Footnotes.

Page last updated May 13, 2006.